Quadruplex telegraph



(No' Model.)

" H. 0. NICHOLSON. I QUADRUPIVIEX TELEGRAPH.

Patented May 2, 1882.

j zvezz 1 01 I 'GM L, nnmuuumum flozzaezmer W ti 2 n b fl UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY O. NICHOLSON, OF KENTON, KENTUCKY.

QUADRUPLEX TELEGRAPH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 257,181, dated May 2, 1882.

Application filed May 2, 1881. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY O. NICHOLSON, of Kenton, in the county of Kenton and State of Kentucky, have invented certain'new and useful Improvements in Quadruplex Telegraphs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description oftheinve11tion,whichwill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being bad to the ac companying drawings and points of reference thereon, which are a part of this specification.

My invention relates to that class of quadrnplex telegraphs in which are used two single transmitting-keys-key 1,key 2\vith suitable battery and circuits, so thatfour differing strengths may be presented to line,in order that each one will have an effectual potential sufficient to operate the relays, substantially as herein described-to wit, if both transmitting-keys are open, one strength of battery will be to line; if key 1 be separately closed, two strengths will be to line; if key 2 be separately closed, three strengths will be to line, and if both keys are closed, four strengths of battery will be toline. The retractile springs belonging to either relay being properly adjusted so that the one strength will not close either relay, two strengths will close relay 1, three strengths will close relays 1 and 2, and four strengths of battery will close relays 1, 2, and 3.

My improvement consists in the proper arrangement of three relays, in combination with two sounders or receiving-instruments, arranged and operated substantially as described, and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents two transmitting-keys, three main or line batteries, three neutral or non-polar relays, two sounders, and one local battery, one rheostat, and one condenser for balancing the line-rcsistan cc and static discharges in the usual methods; also, two common Morse keys and local magnets and local batteries to actuate the transmitting-keys; and Fig. 2 represents a modi fication in which a. supplemental contact-lever is substituted for the third relay, shown in Fig. 1.

The accompanying drawings represent the apparatus at one station, arranged for quadruple transmission, to be connected by the single-line wire with a similar apparatus at a distant station. Both keys andrelays are open and the two sounders are closed. Either of the sounders when operated will respond on back-stroke. The route will be from ground to post lin key 2, hook it, spring f, main bat tery 40, post 70, hook g, and spring e to line, artificial circuit, and distant station. The relays at the distant station will not be affected until one or both of the transmitting-keys are closed, each relay resting on stops b,Z, and f. Sounder 1 will close by the local battery and route a, b, and c. Sounder 2 will close we d, d, Z, X, and e. If key 1 is closed by means of Morse key 21 and magnet c, spring'e will close on stopi and a will break from hook g. This change will cut out battery 40 and substitute 80, making the route ole f, 80, stop "5, and spring 6 to line. The increase of battery will cause relay 1 at the distant station to move its armature-lever from stop b to front stop, and thus break the local circuit to sounder 1. If key 2 is closed by Morse key A and magnet d, springfwi-ll close on stop j and f will break from book It. The route to line will be from ground via battery 80, stop j, spring f, battery 40, post It, hook g, and spring 0 to line. The greater strength from combined battery 80 and 40 will actuate relays 1 and 2 at the distant station, and the armature-lever of relay 2 will pass to front stop, spring X will close on hook W, and also simultaneously break from stop Z. Sounder 1 will be closed via 0 h h g f f W X c to local battery. Sounder 2 will be broken at stop Z. If key 1 andkey 2 are both closed, both'the large batteries S0 and 80 will be in circuit via 80, stop j, springf, 80, stop 1', and spring 6 to line. This will actuate relays 1, 2, and 3, throwing each armature'lcver to front stop,

and both sounders in respondingwill be open.

Sounder 1 between a and b andf and gis open. Sounder 2 is open between stops Z and spring X.

A small piece of elastic material may be placed underthe springs c,f, and X, as marked at m m m, the object of which is to prevent a metallicjar at the contact-points. A bitofflexible rubber will answer the purpose. A s up plemental lever might also be substituted for relay 3 and actuated by relay 2, the lever to have the same local connection and retractile spring adjusted as in relay 3. Fig. 2 shows such an arrangement. Relays '1 and 2 are actuated precisely as the corresponding relays of Fig. 1, and in addition relay 2 operates the supplemental contact-lever in opposition to its retractile spring whenever both keys are simultaneously closed, sending a current of sutficient strength to overcome the force of the retractile spring of the supplemental contact-lever; lever forms the front stop for the armaturelever of relay 2 when actuated by a current sent by key 2 alone. As in Fig. 1, sounder 1 is included in a local circuit passing through the armature-lever of relay 1, which is normally closed, and another local circuit which is normally open. The normally-open circuit includes the spring X and the armature lever of relay 2, but, diftercnt from the arrangement ofFig. 1, passes thence to the back contact ofthc supplemental eontact-leveuwhich is connected by awi're with awire connecting the back contact b of relay 1 with the helix of the electromagnet of sounder 1. Under this arrangement sounder 1 will respond when relay 1 alone is operated; Sounder 2 will respond when re lays 1 and 2 are operated by the operation of key2 alone, the normally-open local circuit of sounder 1 being then closed simultaneously with the opening of its norm all y-closed circuit.

The supplemental contact-- Both sounders will respond when both key 1 and key 2 are operated, so that both relays are actuated and the supplemental contact-lever separated from its back contact by the armature-lever of relay 2, in consequence of which both local circuits of sounder 1 are simultaneously opened. 7 The armature-lever of relay 1 should be provided with a spring to make a -yielding contact between it and its back contact, in order to maintain the local circuit for sounder No. 1 when key 2 alone is operated until insulated eont-act-sprin g X makes contact with hook W, and thus prevent a kick in sounder No. 1 at such time.

I claim as my invention The combination, substantially as before set forth, of two sounders and three neutral relays for operating the same independently, the local battery terminals for one of the sounders consisting respectively of a hook and an insulated contact-spring on the armature-lever of one of the relays, while the local-battery terminals of the other sounder consist respectively of the armature-levers and back contacts of the other relays.

In testimony whereofI have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY O. NICHOLSON.

Witnesses:

F. W. BROWNE, J. H. CHARLES SMITH. 

